7 ms·

"In April 2023, he was swatted four times in one day. The fourth time the MPD sent six officers with assault rifles to his home at 9pm." - okay at some point th

by ummonk 3y ago

"In April 2023, he was swatted four times in one day. The fourth time the MPD sent six officers with assault rifles to his home at 9pm." - okay at some point the MPD shares some of the blame for letting themselves get used like this.

TooSmugToFail 3y ago
How is that possible? Could someone offer any explanation? You would have thought an intelligent org would have figured it by the second time. At four ina DAY MPD is complicit in harrasment…
asynchronous 3y ago
It’s a classic “boy who cried wolf” situation, because they’d be in a world of hurt if they didn’t respond to a legitimate call- but I have to agree, if the person has no prior criminal record what are you doing bringing the SWAT team out? These are citizens not subjects.
- kevingadd 3y ago
  Making sure you can justify your request for a funding increase next year since your SWAT team is so busy
  - irjustin 3y ago
    I hate that this answer isn't absurd.
    - kevin_thibedeau 3y ago
      Next step is the cops call in their own swat team for "training".
- k1t 3y ago
  > if the person has no prior criminal record what are you doing bringing the SWAT team out? I believe the usual technique is to say you say two armed people enter the house followed by a scream/shout. You want to convince the police there are heavily armed hostage takers - hence the SWAT response.
- eviks 3y ago
  They wouldn't be, just like now they aren't in a world of hurt now when the same risks materialize in a fake call response (some people die during these raids)
- usea 3y ago
  > they’d be in a world of hurt if they didn’t respond to a legitimate call How do you figure? There are no consequences for them, and not responding to legitimate calls is ubiquitous. If there were consequences, they would be suffering them for what they've inflicted on the victim in this story.
- optimalsolver 3y ago
  >These are citizens not subjects On paper.
  - Geisterde 3y ago
    Its a convenient myth right?
- nitwit005 3y ago
  The police ignore all sorts of reports of crimes. No, they do not get in trouble for it.
bagels 3y ago
That some point is on the first one. They should not send in a violent response due to a spoofed call from another state. Worst case, once they find the first one was a 'swatting', they should really temper the response on future calls.
- wand3r 3y ago
  I agree with you BUT. If one time, somewhere in America, someone truly is a violent threat you'll see all over Twitter & Facebook: "Government agency ignores dozens of pleas for help! Numerous reports that child killer would kill children!" It's obviously super dumb, but it is sort of a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Ideally, we would solve this in a sane way but at least it seems like there is some tempering of violence in most of these stories which is sadly refreshing.
  - Capricorn2481 3y ago
    In Uvalde there was a known threat and the police did nothing. I think there's just bad police. It's a tough job, but there are also a lot of under-trained, under-educated people that just want to bust down doors and wouldn't actually risk their lives for anyone. In fact, I'm sure some let themselves be used by swatters, as it gives them a chance to use their heavy equipment in low risk scenarios.
    - yareal 3y ago
      It's less dangerous than delivering pizza, and is basically free from accountability. Outside of being exposed to deeply tragic situations, I'm not so sure it's a "tough job."
      - Geisterde 3y ago
        It would be a tough job if done correctly, is probably the point.
        3y ago
singron 3y ago
You would think they would have that address on a post-it note in the PD and call centers, but I guess not: (opposite situation, but relevant: https://xkcd.com/1105/ https://xkcd.com/1105/)
dathinab 3y ago
not just some of the blame but pretty much all of it this is pretty much not a thing in any country with a properly working state of law it's absurd to a point you have to wonder if it wasn't one of the police officers themselves or someone related to them which called in anonymous
- Geisterde 3y ago
  The arsonist firefighter that loves the glory a bit too much.
DebtDeflation 3y ago
There have been cases of politicians and other high profile people being swatted. After it happens, the police are forced to figure out a way to make sure it doesn't happen again while still being vigilant against legitimate threats. So it is possible to do both if the will is there.

by ummonk 3y ago

TooSmugToFail 3y ago

How is that possible? Could someone offer any explanation? You would have thought an intelligent org would have figured it by the second time. At four ina DAY MPD is complicit in harrasment…

asynchronous 3y ago

It’s a classic “boy who cried wolf” situation, because they’d be in a world of hurt if they didn’t respond to a legitimate call- but I have to agree, if the person has no prior criminal record what are you doing bringing the SWAT team out? These are citizens not subjects.

kevingadd 3y ago
Making sure you can justify your request for a funding increase next year since your SWAT team is so busy
- irjustin 3y ago
  I hate that this answer isn't absurd.
  - kevin_thibedeau 3y ago
    Next step is the cops call in their own swat team for "training".
k1t 3y ago
> if the person has no prior criminal record what are you doing bringing the SWAT team out? I believe the usual technique is to say you say two armed people enter the house followed by a scream/shout. You want to convince the police there are heavily armed hostage takers - hence the SWAT response.
eviks 3y ago
They wouldn't be, just like now they aren't in a world of hurt now when the same risks materialize in a fake call response (some people die during these raids)
usea 3y ago
> they’d be in a world of hurt if they didn’t respond to a legitimate call How do you figure? There are no consequences for them, and not responding to legitimate calls is ubiquitous. If there were consequences, they would be suffering them for what they've inflicted on the victim in this story.
optimalsolver 3y ago
>These are citizens not subjects On paper.
- Geisterde 3y ago
  Its a convenient myth right?
nitwit005 3y ago
The police ignore all sorts of reports of crimes. No, they do not get in trouble for it.

bagels 3y ago

That some point is on the first one. They should not send in a violent response due to a spoofed call from another state. Worst case, once they find the first one was a 'swatting', they should really temper the response on future calls.

wand3r 3y ago
I agree with you BUT. If one time, somewhere in America, someone truly is a violent threat you'll see all over Twitter & Facebook: "Government agency ignores dozens of pleas for help! Numerous reports that child killer would kill children!" It's obviously super dumb, but it is sort of a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Ideally, we would solve this in a sane way but at least it seems like there is some tempering of violence in most of these stories which is sadly refreshing.
- Capricorn2481 3y ago
  In Uvalde there was a known threat and the police did nothing. I think there's just bad police. It's a tough job, but there are also a lot of under-trained, under-educated people that just want to bust down doors and wouldn't actually risk their lives for anyone. In fact, I'm sure some let themselves be used by swatters, as it gives them a chance to use their heavy equipment in low risk scenarios.
  - yareal 3y ago
    It's less dangerous than delivering pizza, and is basically free from accountability. Outside of being exposed to deeply tragic situations, I'm not so sure it's a "tough job."
    - Geisterde 3y ago
      It would be a tough job if done correctly, is probably the point.
      - 3y ago

singron 3y ago

You would think they would have that address on a post-it note in the PD and call centers, but I guess not: (opposite situation, but relevant: https://xkcd.com/1105/ https://xkcd.com/1105/)

dathinab 3y ago

not just some of the blame but pretty much all of it this is pretty much not a thing in any country with a properly working state of law it's absurd to a point you have to wonder if it wasn't one of the police officers themselves or someone related to them which called in anonymous

Geisterde 3y ago
The arsonist firefighter that loves the glory a bit too much.

DebtDeflation 3y ago

There have been cases of politicians and other high profile people being swatted. After it happens, the police are forced to figure out a way to make sure it doesn't happen again while still being vigilant against legitimate threats. So it is possible to do both if the will is there.